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Two Studies Question the 10,000-Step Daily Goal

healthOct 23, 2026·297 words·3 min read

Walking 10,000 steps a day is a popular goal, but two studies reported by HuffPost and the New York Post suggest that people may not need that many steps to help their brains. The first, a 2025 Harvard University study, followed about 300 adults aged 50 to 90 for up to 14 years. All of them had early signs of Alzheimer's disease but no memory problems in daily life.

The 10,000-step goal started as a marketing idea about 60 years ago, not as advice from scientists. A newer study from Baylor College of Medicine used Fitbit data from 3,093 people. People who walked about 8,900 or 14,200 steps a day did better on tests of attention and ignoring distractions than people who walked about 5,100 steps. Every extra 1,000 steps was linked to better scores.

Both studies have limits. Most people in them were white and well educated, so the results may not be true for everyone. The Baylor study's author, Dr. Olaoluwa Okusaga, said the study shows a link, not proof that walking makes people think better. Still, doctors say exercise, healthy food and good sleep can help lower the risk of dementia.

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